Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 32, Number 7, 1 July 2015 — Civic club to honor distinguished kamaʻāina [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Civic club to honor distinguished kamaʻāina

A Hawaiian studies professor, a longtime organizer of Hawaiian slack-key festivals and a beloved musician will be recognized as

distinguished kama'aina by the Ko'olaupoko Hawaiian Civic Club. Lilikalā Kame'eleihiwa, a senior professor and director of the University of Hawai'i Kamakakūokalani Center for Hawaiian Studies, slack-key promoter Milton Lau and the late musician Bertram L. Akiona will be feted at the civic club's annual Kū I Ke Kama'āina recognition and scholarship benefit lū'au at Kualoa Ranch, Sunday, Aug. 2 from 4 to 9 p.m. Akiona, a Maui native who lived for many years in Kāne'ohe, was an active member of the civic club until he passed away last year. He will be honored posthumously in recognition of his many contributions of music at the club's community events. Kame'eleihiwa, of He'eia, advocated for years for the development of a Hawaiian studies programat UHMānoa, whieh thanks largely to her efforts now includes a graduate program, the civic club said. An author and historian, Kame'eleihiwa is an expert in Hawaiian cultural traditions. More than a quarter century ago, Kahalu'u native Lau began a series of free public slack-key Hawaiian music festivals in Honolulu, helping to launeh the careers of various artists. The festivals now run statewide, nationally and in Europe and Asia. The civic club also plans to honor members Gwen Lee and Aiko Pratt with the Helen C. Kāne Award for their service to the club. The evening includes Hawaiian music, Hawaiian food, silent auehon and country store. Proceeds support the club's scholarsbip fund and cultural awareness program Tickets are $30 eaeh. Corporate tables are available for $2,500 or $5,000. For information and tickets, contact Leilani Jones-Tollefsen at 348-5957 or jonesjen@hawaii.rr.com, or eall the civic club office at 235-81 1 1. ■

Lilikūlū Kome'eleihiwo

Bert Akiona

Milton Lūu